When Is it The Right Time to Relocate?
As someone who has moved a few times in my adult life, starting out in Salt Lake City, moving to Denver and then to Sacramento, there’s always a question of when is the right time to relocate?
I personally think there are a lot of considerations that go into the decision to move, especially out of state. You have to think of family, friends, job opportunities and activities you like. For instance, when I chose to leave Salt Lake City, I knew I would be giving up on beautiful scenery, hiking trails, biking trails and unbelievable camping. However, life tends to move pretty fast and sometimes it means we have to move with it.
My business, Octiv, recently started working with a brand that is assisting senior citizens with the question of when is it the right time to locate. It’s been an interesting partnership thus far and I have to say I’ve learned a lot of other reasons why people choose to migrated to a new state.
Cost of Living
Above all other reasons, the number one driver that causes people to move is the cost of living. For instance, in Sacramento, it’s a 17% difference in cost of living compared to Salt Lake City. For this reason, a lot of baby boomers are selling their California homes and moving to Utah to reside in a 55 and older community.
It’s pretty understandable as I can attest to the fact that EVERYTHING in California is expensive.
Real Estate
Real estate prices is another major reason why seniors are choosing to relocate. While prices are outrageous along the coast in California, Oregon and Washington, home prices in Utah and Colorado are much more friendly to the average senior’s income.
However, it’s only a matter of time before that changes too. In the last year, Boise, ID became one of the highest growth cities in North America. In fact, a lot of people are moving to Northwest areas of Idaho.
An Active Lifestyle
Lastly, baby boomers are moving to stay active with their peers. While California is spaced out and takes time to get to anything, places in Utah and Colorado are much more tightly knit. From mountain trails to nature paths and taking part in sports like pickle ball, it’s much easier to get around at an active retirement community.
So, there you have it. While I have my reasons to move around, it sounds like seniors are planning to move and relocate based on their lifestyles, real estate costs and the overall cost of living.
If you recently relocated away from the west coast, let me know! I’m interested in knowing your reasons why.